Q&A

One of the Marshall Tucker Band’s first of many big hits, “Can’t You See,” penned by original member Toy Caldwell, helped launch the band from it’s Spartanburg, S.C., home base to the national charts. Over the decades, and with hits like “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Take the Highway,” the band has earned southern rock superstar status. Lead … read more

Tom Pesce, a lifelong resident of Ridgefield, has been fascinated by magic since he was a young boy. By day he is a middle school English teacher but his other career passion is as a magician. He mainly works in the corporate market now but also performs magic at resorts, and theater shows. He launched the first set of shows … read more

It was back in 1977, when a seven-member ensemble of musicians first got together at the Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club in New Orleans and became the house band with a sound that would change the way brass bands would be forever thought of in the city again. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band members blended bebop jazz, funk and … read more

2018 was an eventful year for Riki Stevens. The Norwalk singer-songwriter’s talent got noticed big-time when she won Wall Street Theater’s first “Connecticut’s Got Talent” competition in March. A few weeks later, she appeared on radio station WPKN, and in the summer she headlined Norwalk’s NICE Festival. She also began working on her debut studio album. Lately, Stevens has been … read more

Thanks to a series of hilarious angry-man rants on YouTube, including the viral “Bread & Milk” video, comedian Vic DiBitetto has hundreds of thousands of internet followers, which has upped his profile considerably from his early days in the comedy ranks. The self-proclaimed “Working Class Zero,” the Brooklyn-born comic first started doing stand-up in 1981, and 10 years later, took … read more

Known for power hits like “The Warrior” and “Goodbye to You,” Patty Smyth & Scandal will rock the Ridgefield Playhouse on Aug. 4. Smyth has always been a rocker at heart and with a regrouped lineup of her original band (two original members and a new rhythm section), the band is not only sounding great these days but the musicians … read more

Back in the ’80s, Adam Ant was one of the first post-punk, new wave artists to hit mainstream, both with his band, Adam and the Ants, and as a solo artist. His songs were a regular fixture on MTV, with his coy, tongue-in-cheek videos for hits such as “Goody Two Shoes,” “Desperate But Not Serious,” “Stand and Deliver” and “Antmusic.” … read more

It was 25 years ago that Cracker released “Kerosene Hat,” and the album went on to become one of the biggest of 1993 thanks to chart-topping songs “Low” and “Euro Trash Girl.” Formed by friends David Lowery and Johnny Hickman a few years prior to that release, the two have continued to tour together and have led Cracker to nine … read more

Phillip Phillips skyrocketed to fame by winning American Idol in 2012, and his hit song Home remains the biggest-selling song ever for an American Idol contestant. Phillips, 27, lives in southwestern Georgia with his wife, where they both spent their childhoods. He will perform on July 16 at Ridgefield Playhouse. Brad Durrell talked to Phillips about his career and upcoming … read more

Looking on the back end of a 50-year mark in the music industry, blues/folk icon Chris Smither continues to be revered for both his guitar prowess and his way with a song lyric. Earlier this year, he released “Call Me Lucky,” his first recording of new material in six years, and his songs are as poetic today as they were … read more